The Heath Ledger Oscar nomination campaign had achieved a steady state of momentum before The Dark Knight had even been released. Now that the film is out across the world, many critics, reviewers and indeed the public at large are contributing to the sentiment that the late Australian actor should receive some sort of proper recognition for his work. I echo this opinion strongly, and have stated for years that the way less familiar genres are ignored by the major awards is both unfair and unjustified. Therefore, it's very nice to see the words 'superhero' and 'Oscar nomination' appearing together in so many articles and opinion pieces. However, history is dotted with examples of AMPAS going in completely the opposite direction to public and critical opinion. So what I intend to do with this Feature is look at the situation in some depth, and hopefully come to a conclusion about Heath Ledger's chances of getting an Oscar nomination.

For Him

Great Performance

It seems rather obvious to state that Ledger should receive a nomination because he gave a great performance, but it's the type great performance that is perhaps more significant. After all, I can think of about a dozen performances in superhero films that should have been nominated but weren't, so the actual quality of the performance doesn't guarantee success. But the way people are talking about Ledger's performance is telling. His performance isn't being compared with others in other superhero films; it is being compared with Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs and Malcolm McDowell in A Clockwork Orange, to give just two examples. In the public's eye, Ledger's performance is being treated in a more traditional way than any other performance in a superhero film ever has been. And, while AMPAS don't always follow public opinion, the fact that the performance is essentially being accepted as nomination material makes their decision a bit easier. In the current climate, they certainly wouldn't be lambasted for giving Ledger a nomination.

Posthumous Recognition

At first glance, this might seem like an odd factor to use in Ledger's favour. After all, only one person - Peter Finch for 1976's Network - has won a posthumous Oscar for acting. However, we are talking about getting nominated, not winning. For the record, based on the performances we have seen so far this year, I think he should win, but more on this later. In Ledger's case, I think his untimely death actually works in his favour in this respect. He wasn't a veteran actor with decades of nominations and experience; he was a professional and well-liked 28-year-old with a great future ahead of him. This is fundamentally more tragic. It seems crass to talk about his death in this fashion, but I believe it reflects reality. During the 'In Memoriam' section of the Oscar telecast back in February, Ledger appeared at the very end; the position reserved for the greatest or most tragic loss of talent. His death hit the soul of Hollywood hard, and it would be dangerous to underestimate this fact.

Better Alternatives

In some respects the year is still young. The sort of performances in the sort of films that usually get Oscar nominations are not usually seen until the last two or three months of the year; films with Oscar hopes nearly always get prestige releases in October and beyond. Despite this however, there hasn't been any Oscar buzz for any performance like there has been for Ledger's. There may be great things to come from other actors, but if the nominees were picked in the next couple of months AMPAS would look borderline retarded if Ledger wasn't among them. On this point, we shall have to wait and see.

The Nolan Factor

Do not underestimate the significance of The Dark Knight being a Christopher Nolan film. Nolan is not yet a Hollywood darling, but nor is he a Hollywood hack. He is a respected and talented director, and is viewed as one of his generation's most promising and exciting artists. He is also a past nominee, having been nominated for writing the screenplay for 2000's Memento. His involvement in The Dark Knight hammers home the idea that this is a serious film made my serious and talented people. Had Nolan been a hack who got lucky by making such a good film, Ledger wouldn't have a hope. But the fact that Nolan is quietly respected and admired bodes much better for him.

Against Him

It's Batman

In some respects it doesn't matter how popular, respected and praised both The Dark Knight and Ledger's performance in it are; the fact remains that it's a Batman film. It's a superhero film, and the only Oscars superhero films are nominated for or win are technical ones. What this all comes down to is whether or not the factors I have outlined above will force AMPAS to break the habit of a lifetime and give proper nominations to a film that isn't in one of their usual genres. The reasons why nominations and Oscars go to particular people or films aren't always clear, but if Ledger misses out on a nomination you could put money on it being because of the type of film that The Dark Knight is.

Nagging Public

At the 2006 Oscars, Brokeback Mountain was as much of a lock for the Best Picture Oscar as a film can be. It had won the BAFTA, the Golden Globe, a host of critical awards, and had only performed disappointingly at the SAG awards. And what happened; Crash won. A film which had won close to nothing in the preceding months. I'm not saying Brokeback Mountain should have won; that year I felt Munich was the best film, and the way it was ignored was massively unfair. But Brokeback Mountain losing was one of the biggest shocks in recent Oscar history. And, while it is certainly the case that a fair few people liked Crash, and that some voters were no doubt swayed by its themes and messages, I have always held the opinion that a significant reason for its success was that AMPAS don't like being told what to do. I think the voters resented people telling them how important Brokeback Mountain was, and how they simply must give their coveted award it to because it would be a cinematic and cultural landmark. People in the industry were full of gushing praise for the film, but their votes didn't reflect their apparent enthusiasm. Therefore, if the Ledger mania gets too extreme, and AMPAS feels like they are under too much pressure, that could hinder his Oscar chances more than helping them.

Taking all these factors into consideration, I think it is relatively likely that Ledger will be nominated - probably for Best Supporting Actor. Nothing in this world is a certainty, and particularly when it comes to the Oscars. But as things stand, and with the tide of public support behind him, I think that sometime in January next year we might just see the first Oscar nomination for a performance in a superhero film. It would be a fitting tribute to the man, as well as richly deserved.

© David Mercier
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